Post-symptoms of knee ligament injury

Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
Updated on September 16, 2024
00:00
00:00

The knee joint has four crucial ligaments: the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments. They act like four pillars, firmly anchoring the knee joint in a very stable and normal position. If any of these ligaments rupture, this balance is disrupted, causing the knee to move abnormally in a certain direction, leading to increased local wear and tear or compensatory wear in other parts. Therefore, if ligament damage is not repaired, and the balance is disrupted, it can lead to many complications or sequelae. The first is traumatic arthritis. The second is patellar chondromalacia. The third is meniscus damage. The fourth is damage to other ligaments, or even rupture. The fifth is knee arthritis, also known as OA, or degenerative changes. The sixth is knee effusion and synovitis. Thus, the sequelae of knee ligament injuries are numerous and troublesome.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
44sec home-news-image

Can a ligament injury cause the knee to make noise?

Whether the knee will make noise after ligament damage depends on the condition of the ligament damage. If it is an anterior cruciate ligament injury, generally the knee will not make noise. However, if the anterior cruciate ligament injury is combined with damage to the meniscus or cartilage, forming loose bodies, popping noises in the knee joint can occur. If there is damage to the medial or lateral collateral ligaments of the knee joint, which causes instability in the knee joint, this can also lead to popping sounds. If instability of the patella is caused by damage to the patellar ligament of the knee joint, changes in the alignment of the patellar joint during movement can also cause popping noises in the knee joint.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
40sec home-news-image

Symptoms of fibular ligament injury

The symptoms of fibular ligament damage include, first, pain, especially noticeable tenderness or pain around the fibula when bearing weight, which can further affect weight-bearing walking. Second, swelling can occur, particularly after prolonged weight-bearing walking, leading to localized swelling that gradually subsides with rest. Third, joint instability can also occur as the stability of the entire joint deteriorates after ligament damage, resulting in instability during prolonged weight-bearing activities, and in severe cases, affecting joint mobility and damaging the joint cartilage.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
33sec home-news-image

What foods to eat for ligament damage

After a ligament injury, there often is bleeding at the site of the injury, which can lead to swelling, pain, and other issues. From a Western medicine perspective, there are no special dietary requirements; generally, one can follow their usual diet prior to the injury. However, if you had a preference for very salty or spicy foods before the injury, it is recommended to avoid overly spicy and salty foods afterwards. It may be beneficial to eat foods rich in vitamin C and high-quality proteins to potentially aid in wound healing.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
55sec home-news-image

Is it necessary to get an MRI for a ligament injury?

After ligament injuries, the common imaging examinations usually include standard X-rays, CT scans, and MRI. X-rays are mainly used to observe the overall shape of the bones and the alignment, CT scans are primarily for examining the condition of the bones at the injury site, especially the form of the bones, while MRI mainly uses the hydrogen atom content, or water content, to determine if there is an injury. When a ligament is injured, there won't be bleeding, which leads to an increase in water content; thus, an MRI can easily reveal the increased water content and help diagnose the injury. Therefore, the best method to diagnose ligament injuries is through MRI. Of course, X-rays are used for general overview and alignment, which are the most basic and common examinations, followed by CT scans. Generally, CT scans are not necessary unless there is a special circumstance.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Fei
Orthopedics
44sec home-news-image

How long will it take for a ligament sprain and soft tissue injury to fully heal?

Ligament strains or soft tissue injuries are common in everyday life, and they also typically require grading. Some minor ligament strains or soft tissue injuries generally heal after about three weeks of rest and immobilization. If a ligament strain or soft tissue injury is very severe, such as when the ligament has reached the level of tearing, or if there is significant bleeding, edema, and swelling at the time of the injury, this indicates a very serious soft tissue injury. In such cases, the duration of immobilization might be much longer, possibly around six weeks. The recovery time for such soft tissue injuries or ligament strains can also be very lengthy, sometimes extending up to three months or even six months.